CVE-2024-42212 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting HCL BigFix Compliance version 2.0.12. The issue arises from the improper or missing SameSite attribute on sensitive cookies used by the application. The SameSite cookie attribute is a security control that restricts how cookies are sent with cross-site requests, helping to prevent Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks. Without the proper SameSite attribute, an attacker can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious websites that cause a user's browser to send authenticated requests to the vulnerable BigFix Compliance server without the user's consent or knowledge. This can lead to unauthorized actions being performed on behalf of the user, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the system. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.4, reflecting a medium severity level, with the vector indicating network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, and limited impact on confidentiality and integrity but no impact on availability. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-1275, which relates to improper handling of cookie attributes that can lead to CSRF. Given the nature of HCL BigFix Compliance as a tool for endpoint compliance and security management, exploitation could allow attackers to manipulate compliance data or configurations, undermining security postures.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability could be significant, especially for those relying on HCL BigFix Compliance to enforce endpoint security and compliance policies. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to perform unauthorized actions within the compliance management system, potentially altering compliance reports, disabling security controls, or causing misconfigurations. This undermines the integrity of security monitoring and compliance enforcement, increasing the risk of further compromise or regulatory non-compliance. Confidentiality impact is limited but still present, as attackers might gain insights into compliance status or configuration details. Availability is not affected. Organizations in regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure in Europe could face increased risk of compliance violations and operational disruptions. The requirement for user interaction (e.g., visiting a malicious site) means social engineering or phishing could be used as an attack vector, which is a common threat vector in Europe.

European organizations using HCL BigFix Compliance 2.0.12 should immediately review cookie handling configurations and implement the SameSite attribute correctly on all sensitive cookies to restrict cross-site requests. Specifically, setting the SameSite attribute to 'Strict' or at least 'Lax' can mitigate CSRF risks. Organizations should monitor for updates or patches from HCL Software and apply them promptly once available. In the interim, deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with CSRF protection rules can help detect and block malicious cross-site requests. Additionally, educating users about phishing and social engineering risks can reduce the likelihood of user interaction leading to exploitation. Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) on the BigFix Compliance portal can add an additional layer of defense. Regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on web application security controls should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues proactively.